This invention is directed to an improved stretch-wrap film dispenser wherein the dispenser can be manually carried around an article to wrap the article with the tension of the stretch-wrap film being manually controlled by control of the brake.
When a plurality of packages are grouped together, it is desirable to combine them into a load, often of the size of a pallet so that the merchandise can be transported and stored in pallet-size units. The stretch-wrap film can be wrapped around such a group to unitize the packages. The stretch-wrap film is a polymer sheet film of resilient nature. The stretch-wrap film must be applied in the tensioned, stretched form in order to securely wrap the plurality of packages into a unit.
Various types of machinery are available to move a roll of stretch-wrap film around articles to be wrapped, and similar apparatus is available where articles to be wrapped are rotated adjacent a fixed roll of stretch-wrap film. For the most part, these devices are fairly completely mechanized and powered. As a result of this, the equipment becomes complex and expensive.
Such mechanical strutures have tension control means thereon so that a constant tension is applied during the entire wrapping process. When fully mechanized, such constant tension is a desirable goal. However, when the roll is manually moved arond the load being stretch-wrapped, variations in tension from one wrapping turn to the next may be easily adjusted by the worker as he wraps the packages. Thus, there is need for a stretch-wrap film dispenser where the worker can quickly, conveniently and accurately adjust the tension of the stretch-wrap film.